HK Open 2003 Whilst sitting in the stands quite high up, I just happened to glance around. Above me was this gentleman. He was gracious enough to take a photo with me. Other people around were a bit curious to know why I would take a picture with him. Do you guys know the anser to these questions? 1) Why should he be recognisable? (i.e. what is his job) 2) where else has he worked before? 3) What is his name?
Is he a single coach? Did he work for the Chinese National Team? Did he show up in the Syd Oly Video men's single semi-final and final? Or is he the legendary Rudy H.?
To me, he looks like the guy who was coach (wearing a flat cap) when Chen Hong won the All England 2002, but I don't know who he is.
He is what many fans will call "The Thing" in the 50's early 60's? His badminton prowess was well known and admired in those days. Hailed from Indonesia and helped raise the badminton standards there until the late President Sukarno became fiercely anti-Communist and drove away many ethnic Chinese from Indonesia. Tang returned to his roots in China and apparently helped coach the Chinese National Team and made their men's singles players unbeatable at the world stage. Tang never fulfilled his ambition to beat then All-England champion, Rudy Hartono, even when he was past his thirties as World Badminton then was divided into two camps, Asia and the West(?), and the two were never at peace. Indonesia somehow did not belong to the Asian camp. Tang is so versatile as a coach that he also coached China's ladies singles players and we all know how strong they are. He is now coaching the men's doubles and we can see how their pairs have improved in such a relatively short time. I think "Viver", "Bbn" and other "veteran" BFers can contribute more on the Thing than I do. Btw, Cheung, you look more like an academic, very studious but dangerous with the racket, he, he, he.
To me he is simply the best badminton player ever. Can't find a player to compare to him, probably only Hou Jia Chang. Consider myself lucky being able to see both of them play. Even over 30's then, their skills were simply out of this world. If he important or not? It is quite possible that he is one of the most important piece for Chinese success in the next Thomas Cup. Cheung, being able to talk to Tang Xian Fu I believe there must have been a good exchange of badminton views.
there is a great article on the man himself. does anyone want to have the honor of translating it for the non Chinese reading audience? http://www.nanfangdaily.com.cn/nf/20031111/tyxw/200311110544.asp
I've never seen him wearing a cap before. Noticed this when he was coaching the Indonesian team. When caught on tape he always had a cap on.
yet another... Xia doesn't look happy with whatever advice he's being given. Kwun, what sort of camera was being used here? The quality is so good in the last one that it looks like you've just taken the negative of a 35mm and got it transferred to jpeg (very expensive). The camera round your neck looks like a Nikon Digital SLR; maybe the D100?
Loh, that young man is me. the camera in use is a Sony P5 (i think), just a normal 3MP digital camera. the camera around my neck is a Nikon F70/N70, a good old film camera. cannot afford a digital SLR.
Kwun Sorry for not being able to recognize the handsome young man himself, a clue given earlier by Ynexfan 2003, which somehow eluded me. It was not possible to get a close view of you and the others in the group photo which you posted sometime ago re the Vancouver BF Tournament as the images were too small. Coincidentally, this time round, both you and Cheung appear so visibly and all credit goes to "The Thing". But you did not go to the HK Open. On which occasion did you take that photo with Tang? The only moderator left to be introduced to us in pic is the "giant" Mag from way north. Wonder when he will show his face?
it was during the SC. most of the pics came out rather dull. only a couple of pics worthy of posting here... Tang will retire from badminton scene in 2 years. so the chances of meeting this legend get slimmer and slimmer every day.
notice, 4 different pictures, 4 different caps. i wonder if he collects caps.... hm... maybe we should make a BC/BF cap just for Tang... hm.... hm...
that is Gao Ling. the guy to the left is Chan Hing Dong, Chinese XD coach. i only brought 2 cameras...
